President Patil's foreign trips cost record Rs 205 cr

President Patil's foreign trips cost record Rs 205 cr

President Pratibha Patil's wanderlust has cost the public exchequer a whopping Rs 205 crore on her foreign visits, surpassing the record of all her predecessors.

Since assuming office as the country's first woman President in July 2007, Patil has undertaken 12 foreign trips covering 22 countries across four continents. She has four more months to go for her five-year tenure and a trip to South Africa is said to be on the anvil.

A series of RTI applications has revealed that Air India incurred over Rs 169 crore on use of chartered aircraft, always a Boeing 747-400, on the foreign visits by Patil, mostly accompanied by her family members. A visit to Bhutan was covered by a smaller jet.

A further sum of nearly Rs 36 crore has been incurred by the ministry of external affairs on accommodation, local travel, daily allowance and "miscellaneous" expenses, according to the information provided by the ministry.

Click NEXT to read further...

Image: UK Prime Minister David Cameron with Indian President Pratibha PatilPhotographs: B Mathur/Reuters

President Patil's foreign trips cost record Rs 205 cr

Former President Kalam remained on foreign trips for 47 days during his tenure covering the UAE (twice), Sudan, Bulgaria, Tanzania, South Africa, Russian Federation, Switzerland, Iceland, Ukraine, Singapore, Philippines, South Korea, Myanmar, Mauritius, France and Greece.

His predecessor Narayanan visited Peru, Brazil, Nepal, Germany, Portugal, Luxembourg, Turkey, Germany, France and China in his six trips abroad in 46 days of his tenure.

Sharma, who was President between 1992-97, also covered 16 countries in four trips which included Ukraine, Turkey, Hungary, the UK, Bulgaria, Romania, Trinidad and Tobago, Chile, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Oman, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Italy. He remained on these trips for 47 days of his five-year tenure.

Image: File photo of Dr Kalam accompanied by Sr Gen Than Shwe inspecting a Guard of Honour at the Ceremonial Hall in Yagon.Photographs: Rashtrapati Bhavan